Wow! Just look at the price of this!

Next we head back over the border to Spain for an impressive cabernet sauvignon, tempranillo blend made in the (still) slightly unfashionable Carinena region; it’s hard to believe this wine gives you change from a fiver!

Along with bright cherry and blackcurrant fruit, 2010 Monte Plogar Carinena Gran Reserva (£4.99 and 13.5%) also brings you amazingly sharp acidity for its age but deepens the overall effect with suggestions of cinnamon and menthol made the more effective by the softness of the wine’s tannin.

An especially impressive Rhone village

Many regard Cairanne – north east of Chateauneuf du Pape – as one of the most interesting parts of the Southern Rhone despite only having its own appellation for less than ten years.

In classic GSM style (grenache, syrah and mourvedre), 2015 Cotes du Rhone Villages Cairanne (£6.49 and 14%) majors on cherry and plum fruit but adds attractive acidity and vanilla to the mix and embellishes everything with an appealing but subtle sweet edge.

Never guess where this fizz is from

Portugal is not the obvious place for sparkling wines but winemakers there are amazingly inventive and here have crafted a well priced version from the Dao region using the acidity charged arinto grape and more aromatic bical.

Best of the Rest

Pinot grigio to confound its critics

Amid all the complaints about the paucity of acidity and depth in so much entry point pinot grigio (yes, I know, my voice is among them), it is good to encounter this South African version that fails neither test.

While 2016Secret Cellar Pinot Grigio (£4.99 – instead of £7.79 until 6 June – at Waitrose and 12%) retains all the trademark floral and soft peach touches it also delivers fresh pink grapefruit acidity and ripe mango centred texture with a hint of mace.

… and for a red from those parts

Stay with South Africa but switch to red and to a retailer that has had considerable success with inexpensive wines from that country – winning awards for pinotage a year or so back.

Meaty mulberry and bramble fruit abounds in 2016 The Best South African Shiraz (£6 at Morrisons and 14%) and this is neatly combined with gentle tannin – but firmer acidity – and suggestions of herbs and milk chocolate.

Feature Picture

In case you are wondering about the feature picture, no it’s not me but my son (complete with glass of course) included because, today, he celebrates a significant birthday! – and thanks to Alec Turton for the picture.

Subscribe for FREE!

Do you want every review I write, direct to your inbox, absolutely free?

Hello Brian
Just been to Lidl, too many choices, too much temptation. I have purchased a number of your recommendations and look forward to tasting them. Are you aware that from today until 7th of June if you buy 3 bottles or more from the Wine Cellar you get an extra 20% off.